Setts



W. ALDRICH & E. T. WATKINS.

Frames for Weaving Chair-Seats.

No.. 133,616. Patented Dec.3,1872.

I 4 W if? S'rAfrns PATE FFICE.

AI/VILLIAM ALDRICH AND ELIZA T. WATKINS, OF GARDNER, MASSACHU- SETTS;SAID ALDRIOH ASSIGNOR TO SAID ELIZA T. WATKINS.

liitlPRGlEi'i/ENT EN VFRAMES FR WEAVING CHAIR-SEATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l'l, dated December 3,1872.4

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, WILLIAM ALDRIGH and ELIZA T. WATKINS, of Gardner inthe county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand Improved Frame for Weaving Chair-Seats, &c.; and that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference Abeinghad to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference markedthereon making a part-ot' this specification.

This invention is in the nature of animprovement in weaving chair-seats,&c., whereby they may be woven by hand apart from the chair, andafterward secured thereto, as will more fully appear in the descriptionhereinafter given.

In the accompanying sheet of drawing, Figure 1 represents a plan or topview of formerframe, showing the manner of weaving the cane around thesame; and Fig. 2, a cross-section of saine.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

A represents a frame of wood or other material divided into two equalparts. The parts so divided are held together by hinges a a. in suchmanner as will allow the two parts of the frame to close or foldtogether. Around the outer edge of this frame is inserted, and at rightangles to the same, a series of pins, b b, the distance between one pinand another 'depending somewhat upon the pattern of chairi seat it issought to weave, due allowance being made for the diameter of the pins,or, as will readily be seen, an unequal or irregular figure will beformed. In addition to the pins l) b small holes c c are formed into andaround the outer edge of the frame, and when the frame is folded open inthe position shown in Fig. 1 it is kept in such position by hooks d dsecured to the under side ot' the frame, and Which span the joints.

The frame being in this Way constructed, it is operated by taking astrand of cane, tucking one end into one of the holes c c, passing orwinding it around one pin, thence across-the top surface of the frame toa pin on the other side, and so on from side to side, across, ordiagonally, or in such direction as the pattern sought to be producedwith the cane may suggest or be necessary. In this waythe Warp c e islaid. Should a strand break in the process of weaving-in the middleofthe pattern, for instance-it may be withdrawn and the end be securedlby inserting it into one of the holes c c. The tillingff is thenWattled77 or woven between the strands of warp until the surface of theframe A and the inclosed space within it are fully covered by the wovenseat. The hooks d d are then turned back, the frame A foldedtogether, asbefore stated, when the woven seat may readilybe slipped oft' the frameentire. It is then placed under a cutter which trims oft' the edges, andis forced into a groove formed in the chair-seat frame, where it isconiined by a spline.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a chair-seat of anydesired pattern may be quickly and substantially woven at a great savingof expense for the reason that most ot' the chair-seat weaving hasheretofore been done in the houses of people living remote from thechair-factory, and this neces sitated the transportation of thechair-frames to be seated t0 and from such houses, which involvedexpense; and. another great advan tage is the fact that the smallestpieces of cane can bemade available as illing, which, considering thegrowing scarcity of rattan, is of great importance.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A frame or former for use in weaving chair-seats and other likefabrics composed ot' folding sections, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. A hinged frame, A, having pins b and holes c in its sides or edges,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

VILLIAM ALDRICH. ELIZA T. WATKINS.

Witnesses:

JENNETTE ALDRIGH, f FRANCIS RICHARDSON.

